Sachiko's Christmas Carol
by Artistia
Summary: After breaking Yumi's heart, Sachiko became a cold person again. Can three Christmas spirits get her to enjoy the holidays again, and fix the mistakes she made?


**A/N: **Oh hai guys, I found this on my computer from when I started writing it last year. I edited it and added the last part, but I wanted to get it to you as an apology for disappearing for a while. It's a little cheesy, and some parts are a little fuzzy, but I think that it is coherent. Please tell me what you all think, Read and Review please

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Marimite, or A Christmas Carol, but I do love the story, so I hope you enjoy my rendition. If you do not like Christmas Carol covers, then do not read.

* * *

><p>Sachiko's Christmas Carol<p>

A raven-haired young woman walked at a fast pace, one that she was unaccustomed to, trying to escape the annoying blonde imp that had been following her around for the past few days.

"Sachiko! Why don't you want to come to the Christmas party tomorrow, all of our friends are going to be there. Don't you want to see them?" Sei asked, looking at her fellow Lillian University student with a bit of disbelief in her eyes.

Huffing with annoyance, said woman is question turned around to face the blonde, her eyes full of ice and malice, "No, I don't, in fact, I don't really want to see any of you. I am busy studying, working at my family's company and I'm getting married after Christmas. I don't have time for Christmas."

Sei shook her head, "I can't believe you Sachiko; you've turned into quite the scrooge. We're your friends; we love you, why can't you make time for us, especially Yumi?"

If Sei had been looking for a reaction to the younger girl's name, she didn't get one. Sachiko appeared as indifferent as if she was talking to one of her business clients and they had mentioned a passing acquaintance. "No, I'm afraid not, between work and the wedding, I don't have much time for anything. Good day to you Satou-san," Sachiko replied before walking off.

"Well if you change your mind, we'll be at the Rose Mansion tomorrow afternoon," Sei called after her, trying to ignore the usage of her last name by one she thought of as a close friend.

The dark-haired heiress walked off, ignoring her one time friend. Her head was tucked down to avoid the cold, and the destination she had in mind was the limo waiting for her on the curb. Sachiko seated herself in the waiting car, while the chauffer drove off, heading home. Pulling out her cell phone, the woman sighed as she saw all of the messages and calls that she had missed while taking care of some last minute papers and projects for the semester. The first message she received from the florist. Her wedding to Suguru was the day after Christmas, and everyone was panicking with last minute preparations.

By the time she had reached her house, Sachiko had lost her patience speaking to the florist. She walked into the house yelling into the phone, "You listen here, you imbecile, we are paying you good money to get the flowers done in time for the wedding… I don't care if you are going to miss Christmas with your family, you can see them after my wedding, which is the day after! You see them all the time! What is one day out of the whole year? …. Just do it!"

"Sachiko-san!" Sachiko whirled around to see her mother standing there, staring at her with shock in her eyes. The young woman snapped her phone shut, silencing the blubbering florist on the other end.

"Mother," Sachiko greeted coolly, not stopping and waiting for her mother's reply, instead choosing to continue to her own wing of the house. However, her mother followed after her. Sachiko stopped and looked back at the other woman, "Do you require something of me?"

Sayako-san looked at her daughter and didn't recognize the person that she has become, "I can't believe that you would talk to a person like that, especially at Christmas time."

"How I talk to people I do business with is none of your concern," the younger woman replied sharply.

Suddenly, Sayako recognized who her daughter had become. She had become exactly like her father and grandfather, cold and calculating business people. Instead of following that line of conversation, she switched it. "Tomorrow is Christmas," Sayako commented.

"It is," Sachiko agreed, resigning herself to the discussion.

"Are you going to celebrate with us? We'll have all of your holiday favorites, a classic western celebration of Christmas," Sayako asked with hope in her eyes.

Sachiko sighed, "I think not mother. I have work to do, no time for the insufferable holiday."

"But Sachiko! You loved Christmas!" Her mother exclaimed, aghast.

"Well not anymore, it is just another day to me now," Sachiko countered, continuing back down the hall. Her mother's voice floated down the hall after her.

"You've changed a lot this year Sachiko-san, closing your heart off to people who love you. If you continue the way you've been going, one day you're going to wake up alone and lonely, a miserable old scrooge…"

Sachiko whirled around, anger in her eyes, "Well then all I have to say to that is Bah humbug!"

Upon reaching her door, she opened it with so much force she almost tore it off its hinges, and slammed it shut, shaking the walls. Sighing again, Sachiko took some papers out of her desk and began to go over them. She had started working at the family company, learning how the different branches worked. Today she was covering the finances in her department, making sure they were in order for the year. She was broken out of her thoughts by a knock at the door

"Come in," Sachiko called, irritated about being interrupted. Her personal maid walked in the door. "Yes Aiko, what is it?" She asked, turning back to her work.

"Sachiko-sama, as you know tomorrow is Christmas," Aiko started, suddenly thinking that this was a bad idea.

"What about it?" Sachiko said, narrowing her eyes at her maid.

"Um, I was wondering if I could get tomorrow off to be with my family. I mean, the rest of the staff have the day off and…"

"And you just assumed that I would give you leave for the day." Aiko froze. She held her breath, waiting for the reprimand. Sachiko sighed again, "You may take the afternoon off, but I expect you to be here in the morning to help me get ready, and be here early the next day," the young lady ordered the maid.

"Yes Sachiko-sama," Aiko agreed meekly, before heading out the door.

"Pah, Christmas, bah humbug was a good word to describe it," Sachiko muttered. She continued to work into the night; long after all others in the house had gone to bed. The fire in the fireplace had started to dim down, so Sachiko got up to put another log on it, hoping to take the chill off of the room.

Suddenly, a gust of wind moved through the room, followed by an eerie moan, that seemed to sound out her name, a version of her name that she hated, "Sa-chan."

"Who's there?" She asked, looking around the room, "Show yourself!"

"Over here Sa-chan." Sachiko whirled around and came face to face with a smug, but transparent, literally, Suguru.

"Suguru-san! What are you doing here?" Sachiko seethed.

"I'm here to get you to change your ways, remember who you are, remember what you really love," Suguru replied.

Sachiko rolled her eyes, "I have no idea what you're talking to; you need to leave." She turned around to go back to her desk, but Suguru was in her chair, "How did you…"

He smirked at her, before standing up to face her once more, "I'm not really here Sa-chan… I'm not really Suguru either, I'm a spirit, and I've come you to tell you to change your ways."

"Why should I?"

The ghost just shook his head; "I've lost my chance in this life with the one I love…"

"You never had a chance, Yuuki-san is dating Touko-chan now from what I hear…"

Suguru just glared at her, "Anyway, I lost my chance by being selfish, and my pride got in the way of my heart. It's too late for me in this life, but it's not too late for you. You will be visited by three ghosts this night, your Christmas past, present and future."

"Are you serious?" Sachiko asked, "This isn't a Charles Dickens' novel, or Lifetime movie, I think someone has had a bit too much to drink. I'll go call a servant to come assist you home." She moved to the door, but when she turned back, no one was in the room. "I must be overly tired from reading these documents, I'm starting to hallucinate." Quickly getting ready for bed, Sachiko turned off the lights, and closed the curtains on her bed. She tried to sleep but sleep did not come easily for the young heiress. She tossed and turned until she heard the clock strike twelve.

"Sachiko…" She heard someone calling her name, and she froze. She peeked her head out of the curtains and looked around.

"Is anyone there?" Sachiko called. When no one answered, she shook her head, "Must be my mind playing tricks on me."

"Oh it's not you," a voice right next to her whispered in her ear.

Screaming, she jumped out of the bed, in shock. Turning around, she came face to face with, "Eriko-sama?"

Eriko smiled at her; a mocking smile, but a smile nonetheless. "Sorry dear, I'm the ghost of Christmas past. I'm here to help you remember who you were before you became this frigid person. Shall we go?"

Sachiko looked at the hand that the spirit offered with disdain, "Must we?" Instead of answering, Eriko-spirit grabbed her hand and they disappeared in a swirl of snow.

* * *

><p>"Aagh!" Sachiko screamed as she landed in a pile of snow. She stood up and started spitting snow. "Where are we?" She asked the spirit.<p>

Eriko-spirit smirked, "We're in you past dear, go look in the window of that store over there. No one can see us or hear us."

The young lady looked around and sure enough she was in downtown Tokyo. The people scurried around without even seeing them. Walking over to the storefront window, Sachiko looked in, and gasped. She saw a small copy of herself sitting on the floor looking through the toys. "Mama, Daddy!" The small girl yelled, running over her parents, in her hand was a fluffy stuffed kitty. "Can we take her home Daddy?" Little Sachiko asked, looking at her father.

He just smiled down at his daughter, "Of course, you want to add it to your Christmas gifts." The little girl squealed and launched herself into her father's arms. He picked her up and placed a small Santa hat on her head, "I'll take that as a yes, let's head home so that we can see what Santa brought a good little girl like you." The family of three headed happily out of the store.

Sachiko smiled at the memory, "I still have that cat; it's sitting on the dresser in my room. I was seven years old when I got it."

"Mhm," Eriko-spirit hummed, "That was the last time you celebrated Christmas as a family if I remember correctly."

"That's right," Sachiko murmured, "Father began spending the holidays with his different mistresses, only showing up for Christmas dinner. No amount of presents could ever make up him not being there."

Eriko nodded, "So you closed your heart off, but even then, you were still warmer than you are now, and there was the brief period of your life, when joy permeated your soul."

The scene changed again, and Sachiko found herself looking at a familiar sight. "I know this area, it's the park near Lillian. I loved coming here, but I haven't found time lately."

"Yes you did love coming here, but that's not why we're here now," Eriko said, a little impatient. She may not be the real Eriko-sama, Sachiko thought, but she's channeling some of her bad habits. "Look over there," the spirit said, pointing to a spot behind them.

Turning around, Sachiko saw herself of just two years ago, walking with a beautiful chestnut haired girl on her arm. The breath caught in her throat as she heard the girl laugh, something she hadn't heard in a long time. "Yumi," Sachiko said quietly, before moving closer to observe the scene.

"It's a beautiful day isn't it Onee-sama, with the snow falling," Yumi giggled, twirling around in the falling snow before returning to the older girl's side, "Thank you for agreeing to spend time with me on Christmas."

"It was my pleasure Yumi," Sachiko said, "My family wasn't doing anything special today, so I thought I should spend it with someone I care about." She turned to face the younger girl, placing a hand on the other girl's cheek.

Yumi started to blush at the older girl's attention, and almost lost her never for what she was about to do. However, she had decided upon it, and now was the time to act. "Onee-sama," she started, "Would you like your Christmas present now?"

"If you would like to give it to me, I would have no reason to object," came the reply.

The younger girl sighed, "Could you close your eyes please then?" Sachiko looked confused, but complied. Yumi stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to the older girl's. Sachiko was surprised but soon began to return the kiss. When they parted, Yumi whispered, "Merry Christmas Sachiko."

Present Sachiko tore her eyes away from the happy scene, tears present in her eyes, but the spirit was merciless. "Ah yes, you were happy then, you had begun to change into someone better, someone special because of that girl, but it did not last did it? Oh no, you made sure it couldn't last," Eriko commented harshly, "Fast forward one year."

"Onee-sama! Please stop and listen to me," Yumi cried, tears swimming in her chocolate eyes.

"Why should I when you clearly aren't listening to me?" Sachiko yelled back, anger on her face. She was tired of this argument and tired of fighting, "You couldn't have honestly believed that this relationship could have continued? I am going to college in a few months, studying to take over my family's business, and I am going to marry Suguru next year. If you can't understand the demands my station in life puts on me well you obviously don't belong in it!"

Yumi reeled back, as if she had been slapped, shock evident on her face. "Well obviously I don't," Yumi replied, her words betraying the hurt in her voice. She took off running towards the other end of the park, tears streaming down her face.

Eriko-spirit shook her head, "You crushed her heart, wouldn't settle for just breaking it, you crushed it into pieces. She was loyal and stood by you until you graduated, but she never touched you again did she? Or spent any time alone with you?"

The young woman replayed the scene over and over again in her mind. "Why do you show me these things spirit? What good does it do to show me how happy I was and then to watch myself destroy it and the person I loved the most? What is the point?"

The spirit merely shook her head, and pushed Sachiko backwards. She fell with a plop, landing back on her own bed. She flailed around for a bit before realizing where she was. In the room she heard the clock strike one, and an eerie flickering light filled the room, along with a boisterous laughed, that seemed to strike a nerve in Sachiko.

Scrambling out of the tangled sheets, Sachiko again poked her head out of the curtains on her bed and was greeted to the sight of piles and piles of food. At the center of all of that food was... "Sei-sama?" The woman in question sat on what looked like a pile of pillows, wearing a green robe trimmed in white fur with a crown of holly on her head.

"Ghost of Christmas present," Sei-sama, or rather Sei-spirit, said, "At your service."

"Not another spirit," Sachiko groaned, falling back onto her bed, "Didn't I suffer enough with the first one."

"Not a chance, " the spirit replied, reaching down to grab a hold of one of

Sachiko's hands, before they disappeared in another swirl of snow.

* * *

><p>"Why are we in my living room?" Sachiko asked, once they landed. She noticed that they were still in her house but from what she could tell by the light outside, it was daytime.<p>

"Well," Sei-spirit started, "You're not the only one who has been hurt by your father and grandfather's absence at Christmas time." She motioned to the door, which her mother just entered. Sachiko watched as her mother sat down on the couch in front of the tree carrying a huge glass of red wine.

"Another Christmas alone… Merry Christmas to me," Sayako murmured, lifting the glass to her lips before tears descended down her face.

The family butler walked into the room and gazed sadly at his mistress. "Sayako-sama," he started, "I put your dinner in the oven to stay warm, but I…"

"It's okay," Sayako smiled at the man, "Go home to your family, it's Christmas."

Sei-spirit and Sachiko watched as the butler left and Sayako continued to drink her bottle of wine. They looked on as she moved to the kitchen and took her food out of the oven, and sat down, at the Christmas table, alone.

"You weren't the only on that suffered from your father's absence," Sei said, "Your mother has suffered too. She had you, until recent years, to drive away the loneliness of her husband's absence, but with you closing your heart off, she is forced to drink herself into a stupor to drive away the loneliness."

Sachiko watched as her mother ate dinner alone, crying silent tears into her fish and rice, before opening another bottle, drowning her sorrows in glass after glass of wine. The young lady turned away, unable to look at the scene anymore. "Take me away spirit," Sachiko ordered, "I can't stand to see my mother like this."

Sei-spirit looked confused, "Why not, you did it?" Nevertheless, she complied and they were spinning off to a new destination.

"Where are we now?" the grumpy one asked, seeing an unfamiliar living room, with an older man and woman in it. "Who are they?"

"Just wait a minute," Sei-spirit hissed.

"Mom, Dad," a familiar voice yelled out. Pretty soon, Sachiko's maid, Aiko, came into view. "Hey guys," she greeted her parents, "what's for Christmas dinner?"

"Hello dear," her mom greeted her, "Dinner is what you see in front of you."

"Mhmm," Aiko murmured, "A little fish, rice and some veggies, a great feast you prepared Mom! How's the job hunt going Dad?"

Aiko's dad shook his head, "Not good, but I'm sure something will come up. It's harder to find a job since I hurt my arm."

"My salary is enough to last us for a while, so you can take your time and find something you want."

"But dear," her mom said, "What about law school?"

"I can only pay for one or two classes a semester, but it's okay, you two are more important to me," Aiko told them, covering their hands with her own, "Now on to the feast, courtesy of lady Sachiko."

"Aiko's father broke his arm a few years ago, and it healed wrong. He had been in construction, but can't move his arm in the right direction any more, so he's been out of a job. Her mother doesn't have any experience, has been a stay at home mom her entire life. Aiko has been supporting them with the salary from being your maid, and had to put off her dream to be a lawyer."

"I- I didn't know," Sachiko murmured, looking at the sad scene in front of her.

"Of course you didn't, you can't be bothered with the lesser people remember," Sei-spirit returned, before they disappeared in more snow.

"The Rose Mansion?" Sachiko asked, "I thought that maybe you would show me how horrible I made Christmas that stupid oaf from the florist. Isn't that how Dickens' Ghosts did things?"

"Well," Sei pondered, cocking her head, "There isn't really anything to show you, he's finished with the flowers, he just has this odd desire to torture brides close to the wedding day."

Sachiko looked incredulous, "Right, so why are we here then?"

The spirit waved her hand and they flashed inside the building. They were met with the sight of nearly five generations of Rose Mansion's occupants, beginning with Eriko, Youko and Sei, and ending with Noriko and Touko's petite soeurs. Sachiko looked unconsciously for the one face that she knew would be here, but refused to see. Even now her face avoided her even though she was just there as a spirit.

"To another Merry Christmas," real Sei said, making a toast with her cup, "And a happy birthday to me!"

"Too bad Sachiko couldn't come," Eriko added, taking a gulp of whatever was in her cup.

"I don't think so," Yoshino said, standing up, "Sachiko-sama has turned into a down right Scrooge, and after what she did to Yumi, she better not show her face any where near me if she knows what's good for her."

"Yoshino!" Rei yelled, outraged that her cousin would say something like that.

"It's true, even Shimako was thinking about it!"

All of the heads in the room turned to look at Shimako, who looked bashful, "Well it is true, I mean, Yumi has been walking around looking like a ghost. Sachiko-sama hurt her, and then continues to ruin Christmas for her and the rest of us."

Youko silenced everyone by clearing her throat as she stood up, "Let us not dwell on Sachiko any longer. She has made her bed and now must lie in it. Touko-chan has gone to fetch Yumi, so let's have a good party!"

Everyone agreed and began to return to full party mode. "That Sei is a handsome devil isn't she," Sei-spirit said, looking at the blonde, "And that Youko, whew, what a babe, but ya know she reminds me of someone…" Sei-spirit turned to look at Sachiko, and saw that she was walking away. "Hey where are you going?" She called, running after her raven-haired charge.

"I cannot just continue to stand around and listen to how badly I messed up," Sachiko replied as she stomped away.

"Well I hate to break it to ya," the spirit said, appearing in front of her, "but we have one more stop."

They appeared in a very familiar greenhouse. A young woman in a winter cloak with long chestnut brown head knelt in front of one particular plant. Sachiko racked her brain, knowing that this person she should know, but nothing rang a bell until…

"Onee-sama," the young woman turned and Sachiko finally saw her face, which was one she would never forget.

"Hello Touko," Yumi greeted, standing from the rose bush she was tending. She wiped the little bit of dirt of her skirt and hands, before greeting her petite soeur with a hug. "Are the others waiting for me?" She asked once they separated.

Touko nodded, her pigtails bouncing, "Yes, they thought is was best as this might be the last time we all get together before you leave."

"Leave?" Sachiko whispered, almost as if she were afraid to disturb the scene in front of her.

Yumi laughed. It was hollow, and empty, but still a laugh. "I haven't made up my mind yet Touko," she corrected, "I will decide after the holidays though."

"That's what you say," Touko admitted, "But I know what you will decide. You want to get away from Japan, and from the… lingering memories."

The older of the two's eyes filled up with tears. "Yes," Yumi agreed, "I will probably leave. England looks promising, but so do the States. I might go to New York, that way, when you decide to visit, we can go to Broadway."

"I'd like that," Touko agreed. They started to leave the greenhouse when she stopped Yumi again, "Sachiko-sama is a fool, you do know that right?"

"Yes, but I've resigned to think of her no longer. I will always love her, to my dying days, but I'll be damned if I let her decisions control my life."

Sachiko watched the two of them walk away, tears running down her eyes. "Tell me spirit," she said, turning to the ghost, "Is all I have seen here tonight true? What have I done to create this?"

The Sei-spirit looked solemn, another clue that it wasn't the real Sei standing here talking to her. "Do you see this rose?" The spirit pulled a black rose seemingly out of her sleeve. Sachiko nodded, staring at the peculiar flower. "This rose used to be a beautiful red. It was well taken care of, given the love it needed to survive, but ignorance and pride smothered it, destroying its beauty."

"I don't understa…."

"This rose is who you are now!" The spirit bellowed, and threw the cursed flower at her.

The young woman shrieked and backed up, only to fall off the bed, landing with a plop on the floor. She looked around, confused, before feeling an icy cold wind blow through the room. Getting up to check the doors leading out to the balcony, Sachiko came face to face with the third spirit. "Youko-sama?" Sachiko asked, "Wait no, you are the ghost I fear the most, the Ghost of Christmas yet to come, taking the form of the person I fear the most?"

"I see you're learning," the spirit commented in the same dry tone that Youko used all of the time.

Sachiko's eyes looked at the spirit pleadingly, "What future is come for me, I have learned so much already, what else can there be for me to learn, for me to change."

"Shut-up for once Sachiko," Youko-spirit replied, before they disappeared in yet another swirl of snow.

* * *

><p>When the snow stopped swirling, Sachiko looked around and realized they were in a graveyard. She saw a group of people in front of her, all of them older versions of her friends from the yamayurikai. They looked to be in their late 30's or 40's.<p>

"She died too young." Sachiko heard coming from the group. "Taken from this life that wasn't kind to her," Yoshino murmured.

"At least she's no longer in pain," Rei answered her, comforting her cousin.

"Whose grave do they weep over spirit?" Sachiko asked, "Who deserved their tears?"

Youko-spirit moved closer to the grave, and pointed out the characters carved in the stone: Fukazawa Yumi.

"No, no," Sachiko cried, falling to her knees, "No, why? Why did she have to die so young? She still had so much to give. Why am I not here, while my love lays cold in her grave? I doubt I even know of her passing, with how I acted towards her, my friends, and my family."

The spirit moved over to Sachiko, and took her hand, moving through another swirl of snow. They appeared in yet another graveyard. This time, the scene was empty, and a lone grave stood in front of them. "Whose grave is this? That no one comes to mourn," Sachiko asked.

Youko-spirit, again, pointed out the name on the stone. "My grave," Sachiko gasped, "This is how I die, alone, with no one to mourn me." The young woman turned to the spirit next to her, "Please spirit, give me another chance, I've changed! Please tell me that this isn't my future, that Yumi is still alive and I have another chance to make things right." Suddenly, the grave behind Sachiko opened up, and a terrible light came from it. Sachiko looked at it in fright, "No spirit please." Youko-spirit ignored her pleas and pushed the young woman into the open grave.

"No, no," Sachiko called out, opening her eyes to see... the canopy above her bed? The raven-haired woman sat up, realizing she was back in her own room, not lying in her grave.

"Good morning miss," Aiko greeted as she entered the room.

"Aiko!" Sachiko shouted, running over to her. The maid started, and stepped back slightly from the excited heiress. "What day is it?" Sachiko asked.

Aiko blinked for a moment, "Why, it's Christmas day ma'am, don't you remember."

"Christmas!" Sachiko shouted, "I'm not too late then." She paused for a moment before looking at her maid, "What are you doing here then, it's Christmas, you should be home with your family."

"But you told me to be in early…" Aiko was so confused.

"Nonsense, go home and here," Sachiko said, going over to her checkbook, "Your Christmas bonus."

Aiko's eyes grew big, "This- this is too much."

"No, I'm afraid it isn't enough, not enough to apologize to you for how horrible I have been to you, but I believe it is a start," Sachiko murmured, looking at her maid, who was only a few years older than herself, "And I'll make you a deal, if you agree to work for a firm associated with the company, I'll make sure to help you through law school, give your family a break."

"Thank-you, Sachiko-sama, thank you," Aiko said in between tears.

Sachiko merely smiled and shooed her on her way out. "Mother!" She yelled out too her, not even bothering to change out of her pajamas.

"What is it Sachiko, what's the matter?" Sayako yelled back, running from her rooms. She stopped short when she saw her daughter, beaming at her with a wide smile. "Sa-achiko?"

"Mother, I- I want to apologize to you for the past few years I've put you through. I hadn't realized what I had become. Would it be alright with you, if I had Christmas dinner with you tonight?"

Choking back tears, Sayako smiled, "Of course Sachiko, of course."

Sachiko smiled back, "Now if you like, we can have breakfast together, before I take care of what needs to be taken care of today."

"What needs to be done?"

"Oh I'm just going to call that idiot florist and tell him that the flowers are no longer need as the wedding is cancelled," before Sayako could even begin to squeal, Sachiko added, "Then, I'm going to go find the one I really love and invite her for Christmas dinner."

* * *

><p>"Sachiko-sama!" Noriko exclaimed in surprise, "Please, come in."<p>

"Thank you, Noriko-chan," Sachiko said as she walked in the Rose Mansion. She looked around at the occupants of the room, and noticed that Touko was there, but Yumi was not. _Must be out in the greenhouse._

"Oi, Sachiko, ya made it!" A loud voice broke her out of her thoughts.

Sachiko turned and greeted the smiling blonde with a smile of her own. "Yes I did Sei-sama, I guess I realized what a scrooge I was being," she answered her.

"Well it's about time," Eriko said, walking over to the two of them. "We all were quite worried about you."

Sachiko saw that everyone in the room had turned to look at her, and she bowed in apology to them. "I'm really sorry how I've treated you all these past few years. I don't have any excuse for my behavior other than there must have been something wrong with my head, please forgive me."

"It's not us you need to ask for forgiveness from Sachiko-sama, it's Yumi," Yoshino replied, glaring at the older woman with malice in her eyes.

Sachiko flinched slightly, but did not back away from her gaze, "Yes, I do need to apologize to her, and beg her forgiveness. Touko-chan, do you know where she is at?"

Touko gazed at Sachiko for a minute before answering, "In the greenhouse probably, I was just about to go get her."

"Well then, may I?" Sachiko asked.

"What is it you are going to do Sachiko-sama?" Shimako asked, standing next to Noriko.

"Right now? Ask her to forgive me, and hope that she does," she answered as she walked out the door. "By the way," she said before leaving, "My wedding is officially cancelled, you'll have to find something else to do tomorrow.

As she left the building she heard a great cheer coming from the room, and smiled.

* * *

><p>"Hello Yumi," Sachiko murmured when she entered the greenhouse. Yumi gasped and spun around, starring at the raven-haired heiress behind her. Despite having already seen the now year older Yumi last night in her travels, Sachiko still marveled at the beauty of the younger girl. Her hair was longer, down below her shoulder blades, and her bangs were also longer, swept to the side. Yumi's once mocha eyes had lightened, appearing almost a dark caramel.<p>

"Sa-Sachiko-sama," Yumi stuttered, "Wh-what are you doing here?"

Sachiko looked down for a second, before meeting the hurt and accusing eyes of her true love. "I came to tell you that I cancelled my wedding. Guess I came to my senses," she admitted.

Yumi snorted, "Well it's about time, what did you tell your father and grandfather? That you wanted to wait until a better man came around."

"No, I told him that the only one I wanted to marry was you, if you would have me," Sachiko blurted out, pausing, seeing a flash of something crossing Yumi's face.

"You want to marry me? Two years ago you didn't want anything to do with me!"

"I know, and I'm sorry. I'll spend the rest of my life showing you how sorry I am. Please Yumi, I- I can't live without you anymore. I've tried and I didn't like what I became," Sachiko cried, falling to ground, "Please forgive me Yumi, please please please." The young heiress, forgoing her pride, crumpled in a heap crying her eyes out.

Sachiko lost all track of time, until she felt a small hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw that Yumi had squatted down in front of her. "Do you really mean that Sachiko?" she asked, "That you really want to marry me?"

"I do, eventually, but right now I just want to be with you?" Sachiko confirmed, looking the younger girl in the eye.

Yumi looked down for a moment, before meeting Sachiko's eyes again. "I haven't fully forgiven you, but if you would like to start over, I think I could manage that."

A few more tears leaked out of Sachiko's eyes, before she stood up again, pulling Yumi up with her. "Thank you, my love, thank you," she murmured, before pressing her lips to Yumi's for a brief kiss.

They walked back towards the Rose Mansion together, to the remnants of the party. Laughing and enjoying each other's company, Sachiko and Yumi left the party and continued to Sachiko's house to have dinner with her.

Yumi did end up going to New York for school, but Sachiko went with her. Her father and grand-father finally caved to Sachiko's decision when they found out that they would lose her and never have a chance for their line continuing. And it came to pass that every year at Christmas time, everyone gathered together at Sachiko and Yumi's home to celebrate the holidays. Sachiko grew to be a beautiful woman and a great CEO for it company, but it was always said, that she knew how to keep Christmas bright.

"Merry Christmas Sachiko," Yumi said to her one Christmas years later.

"Merry Christmas my love, and happy anniversary," Sachiko answered her, "Merry Christmas."

The End

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><p><strong>Tell me what you guys thought! Drop a review, and I might start back to working on my other stories again.<strong>


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